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agricultural only Senate version version of HR669?
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by tigers9 on April 28, 2009
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Is this sort of an agricultural only Senate version version of HR669? These bills can be easily amended to be more like HR 669, needs to be watched I think.
Zuzana
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S.594
Title: A bill to require a report on invasive agricultural pests and diseases and sanitary and phytosanitary barriers to trade before initiating negotiations to enter into a free trade agreement, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen Casey, Robert P., Jr. [PA] (introduced 3/12/2009) Cosponsors (1)
Latest Major Action: 3/12/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
Agriculture Smart Trade Act (Introduced in Senate)
S 594 IS
http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getpage.cgi?dbname=2009_record&page=S3089&position=all
STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS -- (Senate - March 12, 2009)
________________________________________
Regardless of how any senator feels about the free trade agreements that we review and debate, I think all of my colleagues will agree with me that increased international trade means an increased risk of importing bugs and diseases that have the potential to devastate our food sources, jeopardize the
[Page: S3089] GPO's PDF
livelihoods of our farmers, and cost our states a fortune. We need to acknowledge the risk and put in place the best safeguards we can to prevent the accidental introduction of these harmful pests.
I am not merely speculating about the risk of invasive pests and disease. It is a fact that all of our states are battling insects and crop diseases and dreading the next outbreak.
Most recently in Pennsylvania we discovered that the western part of our state is infested with the Emerald Ash Borer, an invasive beetle that was accidently imported to the U.S. through Detroit via wooden shipping pallets from China. This beetle is costing our commercial nursery growers millions of dollars in lost stock. Senator Stabenow knows better than anyone how much money, time and other resources the Ash Borer has cost the states of Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. But that's just one example. Orange growers in Florida have spent the past decade fighting to contain and eradicate citrus canker, an invasive disease that causes citrus trees to produce less and less fruit until they prematurely die. And California and Texas have dealt with expensive eradication programs to deal with the Mediterranean fruit fly or ``Med fly.''
The list goes on and on. There is not a single state that has not been impacted by invasive pests or diseases. So I hope that my colleagues will support the Agriculture Smart Trace Act, and help us make smart decisions that will protect our growers and our economy while opening new export markets. Because that is what this bill is about--smart trade.
Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.
There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be placed in the Record, as follows:
111th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 594
To require a report on invasive agricultural pests and diseases and sanitary and phytosanitary barriers to trade before initiating negotiations to enter into a free trade agreement, and for other purposes.
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
March 12, 2009
Mr. CASEY (for himself and Ms. STABENOW) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance
________________________________________
A BILL
To require a report on invasive agricultural pests and diseases and sanitary and phytosanitary barriers to trade before initiating negotiations to enter into a free trade agreement, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the `Agriculture Smart Trade Act'.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) FREE TRADE AGREEMENT- The term `free trade agreement' means a trade agreement entered into with a foreign country that provides for--
(A) the reduction or elimination of duties, import restrictions, or other barriers to or distortions of trade between the United States and the foreign country; or
(B) the prohibition of or limitation on the imposition of such barriers or distortions.
(2) INVASIVE AGRICULTURAL PESTS AND DISEASES- The term `invasive agricultural pests and diseases' means agricultural pests and diseases, as determined by the Secretary of Agriculture--
(A) that are not native to ecosystems in the United States; and
(B) the introduction of which causes or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health.
(3) SANITARY AND PHYTOSANITARY MEASURE- The term `sanitary and phytosanitary measure' has the meaning given that term in the Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures of the World Trade Organization referred to in section 101(d)(3) of the Uruguay Round Agreements Act (19 U.S.C. 3511(d)(3)).
SEC. 3. REQUIREMENT FOR REPORTS BEFORE INITIATING NEGOTIATIONS TO ENTER INTO FREE TRADE AGREEMENTS.
(a) In General- Not later than 90 days before the date on which the President initiates formal negotiations with a foreign country to enter into a free trade agreement with that country, the President shall submit to Congress a report on--
(1) invasive agricultural pests or diseases in that country; and
(2) sanitary or phytosanitary measures imposed by the government of that country on goods imported into that country.
(b) Contents of Report- The report required under subsection (a) shall include the following:
(1) INVASIVE AGRICULTURAL PESTS AND DISEASES- With respect to any invasive agricultural pests or diseases in the country with which the President intends to negotiate a free trade agreement--
(A) a list of all invasive agricultural pests and diseases in that country;
(B) a list of agricultural commodities produced in the United States that might be affected by the introduction of such pests or diseases into the United States; and
(C) a plan for preventing the introduction into the United States of such pests and diseases, including an estimate of--
(i) the number of additional inspectors, officials, and other personnel necessary to prevent such introduction and the ports of entry at which the additional inspectors, officials, and other personnel will be needed; and
(ii) the total cost of preventing such introduction.
(2) SANITARY AND PHYTOSANITARY MEASURES- With respect to sanitary or phytosanitary measures imposed by the government of the country with which the President intends to negotiate a free trade agreement on goods imported into that country--
(A) a list of any such sanitary and phytosanitary measures that may affect the exportation of agricultural commodities from the United States to that country;
(B) an assessment of the status of any petitions filed by the United States with the government of that country requesting that that country allow the importation into that country of agricultural commodities produced in the United States;
(C) an estimate of the economic potential for the exportation of agricultural commodities produced in the United States to that country if the free trade agreement enters into force; and
(D) an assessment of the effect of sanitary and phytosanitary measures imposed or proposed to be imposed by the government of that country on the economic potential described in subparagraph (C).
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